There are commercially available a liquid-treatment apparatus for body care, and particularly for bucco-dental hygiene. Such apparatus generally includes a casing enclosing a hydraulic pump connected by a flexible tubing to a handpiece having a spray head, and a reservoir removable fitted on the casing for supplying liquid to the pump. This type of apparatus providing a pulsed jet of liquid is efficient both for cleaning the teeth and flushing out particles stuck between the teeth as well as for massaging the gums and stimulating blood circulation therein. In some "combined" apparatus, the spray nozzle can be replaced by a toothbrush which is oscillated by a hydraulic motor housed in the handpiece. In both of these types of devices, the reservoir is removably connected to the pump inlet by a suitable valve to supply water to the pump independently of the water supply. In certain types of apparatus the reservoir is formed by a removable cover which is reversible to receive the water and to connect with the pump to provide the water supply. Other alternative forms include a reservoir with a gripping handle and a pivoted lid with the reservoir resting on a lateral projection on the casing and being of shape and dimensions to complete the geometrical configuration of the casing. The content of such a reservoir may be from 1/2 liter to 1 liter of water, which is sufficient for the buccal treatment in question, and makes handling easy, even for children.
It has also been proposed to use dentifrice rinses for prophylactic purposes and prevention of dental plaque this becoming ever increasingly necessary in view of the fact that 98% of the population suffers from dental decay and more than 90% of persons in the over 40 age group suffer from periodontal disease despite all of the dental hygiene measures taken to date.
Long research and practical experience have shown that chlorhexidine solutions are the most efficient products for this purpose. Tests have shown that concentrations slightly less than 0.2% of chlorhexidine gluconate can substantially delay the formation of dental plaques, and in particular a concentration of 0.025 to 0.05% is sufficient to obtain an excellent hygiene. The distribution of chlorhexidine to the different parts of the teeth and the consequent prevention of the formation of dental plaque may also be improved by use of an oral irrigation device. Further, it has been observed that the coloring effect which may occur because of the presence of chlorhexidine is considerably reduced if large volumes of low-concentration liquid are also used. Tests have shown that 700 ml of 0.1% chlorhexidine solution does not produce any more coloration than a neutral liquid whereas 20 ml of a 0.2% solution produces an apparent coloration.
To achieve perfect mouth hygiene it would thus be possible to use the two aforesaid means, in turn, i.e., on the one hand, cleaning the teeth and massaging the gums by an apparatus of the described type, and on the other hand rinsing with a dentifrice solution. However, to achieve such complete hygiene would require several time-consuming operations. People, usually in a hurry, in general sacrifice relatively little time for body care and in particular buccal hygiene, to the detriment of their health and prophylaxis. In fact, experience has demonstrated that it is unrealistic to expect people to regularly carry out such successive operations.